Time to Retire your Windows XP Machines

Do you remember what you were doing in October of 2001? Microsoft Windows XP was launched on October 25th.

It was little more than a than a month after the attack on the World Trade Center. Downtown Manhattan was still full of rubble and the US Military attacked Afghanistan in retribution for the attack.

The iPod 1G, launched on October 23, 2001. It only held 5 GB of music. No video.

Apple just released a brand new device called an iPod. It had a monochrome LCD screen and only held 5 GB of music. iTunes had been released only 8 months earlier.

Back then you were still getting your music on CD disks and you watched video on VHS cassettes. XM Satellite Radio only launched a month earlier on September 25th. DVD’s were common in Japan, but it would be two more years before DVD sales would pass VHS sales.

Are you still using your VHS player and your 5 GB iPod?

If you are not, isn’t it a bit strange if you are still using Windows XP?

Technology advances rapidly. You need to slowly embrace the new offerings in order to be more efficient.

In the case of Windows XP, the industry has decided that it is now time to discontinue support. It isn’t as if there was no warning. Microsoft stopped selling XP in 2008, so it was evident that the end would come some day. Microsoft made the announcement about the end of life support in April 2012.

Your XP computer will still work after April 8, 2014, but you won’t get any more updates from Microsoft.

That means if there are any “bugs” or security issues that are normally addressed automatically by Windows Update, you won’t get them any more. If the hackers of the planet come up with some virus that exploits a weakness of XP, you won’t get any help from Microsoft if you are attacked.

Windows 8.1 is out, and it has a “Start” button.

You have a choice of Windows 7 or Windows 8 if you are going to switch to a new Windows.

Windows 7 is much like XP. You won’t notice much of a difference. Windows 8.1 is different though. It has two looks. One is designed for a touch screen or tablet environment, and the other looks much like Windows XP. You toggle between them. It takes some getting use to, but the change isn’t that drastic. You can still use your familiar Windows programs which are unchanged. Windows 8 got rid of the “Start” button. This caused for a disturbance, so a recent upgrade returned the icon for “Start”.

The time is now to start planning your transition. You’ll need some new hardware, and we need to test to see if all your applications work. Some programs may need to be updated.

It’s better to get this transition done on your terms as opposed to on the terms of a disaster.

In the post April 2014 world, you could encounter a problem that no vendor will support. You would then be faced with a forced upgrade, all at once, and you would be losing business while your broken system is getting fixed.

Call (201) 796-7967 today so we can discuss a plan for you and your business.

About Bill Darron

Bill Darron has been a computer professional for 25 years. As an early user of the first personal computers, he realized what their potential power was, and took it upon himself to learn both the hardware and software sides of the business.
He has built, designed and maintained computer networks of all sizes. He also has written many computer programs that have done everything from managing a video tape library to building medical lasers.
Bill can help you assess what is best for your needs and implement it on your terms within your budget. Call him on 201-796-7967.